The 12 Most Common Mistakes Made by New Exporters*
U.S. Small Business Administration
- Failure to obtain qualified export counseling and to develop a master international strategy and marketing plan before starting an export business.
- Insufficient commitment by top management to overcome the initial difficulties and financial requirements of exporting.
- Insufficient care in selecting overseas sales representatives or distributors.
- Chasing orders from around the world rather than concentrating on one or two geographical areas and establishing a basis for profitable operations and orderly growth.
- Neglecting export business when the domestic market booms.
- Failure to treat international distributors and customers on an equal basis with domestic counterparts.
- Assuming that a given market technique and product will automatically be successful in all countries.
- Unwillingness to modify products to meet regulations or cultural preferences of other countries.
- Failure to print service, sale and warranty messages in locally understood languages.
- Failure to consider use of an export management company when firm cannot afford its own export department or has tried one unsuccessfully.
- Failure to consider licensing or joint venture agreements when import restrictions, insufficient resources or a limited product line cause companies to dismiss international marketing as unfeasible.
- Failure to provide readily available servicing for the product.
* Excerpted or reprinted with permission from Small Business Success, Volume 1, produced by Pacific Bell Directory in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
